Burn
Burn was an Elder Goddess known as the "Lady of the Earth", "The Sleeping Goddess", or "The Great Mother Goddess".Gardens of the Moon, Glossary, UK MMPB p.705Stonewielder, Chapter 2, US HC p.121 Tennes, the Path of the Land, was her associated Warren. Caladan Brood's hammer had the power to awaken her.Memories of Ice, Chapter 5, US SFBC p.166 The Seti of Quon Tali believed Burn slept beneath their lands.Return of the Crimson Guard, Book 2 Chapter 1, US HC p.252 Earth tremors were sometimes known as "Burn's Pain".Return of the Crimson Guard, Book 2 Chapter 1, US HC p.272 Hers was one of only seven religions allowed on Kartool Island prior to the Malazan conquest.The Bonehunters, Prologue, UK MMPB p.27 Burn was the patron deity of Li Heng.Dancer's Lament, Chapter 1, US HC p.27 In Gardens of the Moon Immediately after being freed from his barrow by agents of the Malazan Empire, the Jaghut Tyrant Raest sensed an underground sleeping goddess after driving his senses deep into the Earth. He considered waking her, but instead decided to make her bleed for the time being, driving a fissure through the bedrock which was enough to make her stir but not awaken. Raest's lone assault on Burn was enough to cause earthquakes and a volcanic eruption in the Gadrobi Hills.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 20 In Memories of Ice Quick Ben discovered the Crippled God had started infecting Burn's flesh after being bound to it by the Elder Gods during the Chaining. The Chained One claimed the goddess could not awaken while he burgeoned in her flesh.Memories of Ice, Chapter 2, US SFBC p.73-74 Burn's giant earthen servants pleaded with Quick Ben to save them, saying the goddess weakened and had only tens of years left.Memories of Ice, Chapter 2, US SFBC p.75-76 Quick Ben consulted Pale's Witch of Tennes, reputedly the oldest in the world, on the matter of Burn and her sleep. In this conversation, it was revealed Burn slept in order to dream, and that the earth would shake and pour molten rock out like blood when Burn would stir towards wakefulness, leading to the destruction of all life.Memories of Ice, Chapter 4, US SFBC p.124-127 When Ganoes Paran inspected the card of the Sleeping Goddess from the Deck of Dragons, he had a vision of Burn and her history. She appeared as a sleeping woman whose depthless skin revealed details of forest, bedrock, and the ocean floor as one focused upon it. According to Paran's vision, Burn had sensed the sickness coming, and chosen to sleep. All her power was transferred into a single forging, namely Brood's hammer. This hammer was capable of breaking the chains that bound the Crippled God to Burn's flesh. Brood, however, would not use the hammer since the release of the Crippled God would mean the end of life. On the other hand, not breaking the chains would slowly kill Burn, and in turn all life dependent on her. Further, Burn's Warren was a pathway to all the other Warrens and all faced corruption and death.Memories of Ice, Chapter 5, US SFBC p.195-196/201 Brood's decision was supported by Anomander Rake, the Queen of Dreams, and Hood, but after nearly 1200 years, Brood still wrestled with his burden and began to question his choice.Memories of Ice, Chapter 5, US SFBC p.201-202 He came to the conclusion that Burn had faith he would find another way.Memories of Ice, Chapter 20, US SFBC p.720 During the Pannion War against the Crippled God's pawn, the Pannion Seer, High Fist Dujek Onearm sought to buy Brood more time to find it. He and his army challenged the Pannion Domin army alone at the Battle of Black Coral knowing that it could well be suicide.Memories of Ice, Chapter 21, US SFBC p.771 Ultimately, Quick Ben wrested the Seer from the Crippled God's influence and brought him to Burn's realm. The Seer used his own access to Omtose Phellack to slow the spread of the infection and gave Burn's defenders the time to find a third way of resolving the dilemma with the Chained One. The Sleeping Goddess called upon the Witch of Tennes to remain with the Seer and help care for his sister while protecting the final manifestation of Omtose Phellack.Memories of Ice, Chapter 25, US SFBC p.967-968 In Dust of Dreams Olar Ethil claimed herself to be Burn, amongst a host of other female deities of note, in a rant to Torrent.Dust of Dreams, Chapter 15, UK PB, p.715 In Return of the Crimson Guard The Great Sanctuary of Burn was the largest monastery on Quon Tali until it had been destroyed, perhaps ironically, long ago by an earthquake.Return of the Crimson Guard, Book 2 Chapter 3, US HC p.348-352 Greymane feared to use his sword, which may have been an object associated with Burn like Brood's hammer, too close to the sanctuary for fear of what might occur.Return of the Crimson Guard, Book 3 Chapter 2, US HC p.619 In Stonewielder The mysterious prisoner, Cherghem, called Greymane's sword "an artifact unique in all existence, but for one other."Stonewielder, Chapter 12, US HC p.576-577Stonewielder, Chapter 3, US HC p.136 (The other likely being Burn's Hammer in the hands of Caladan Brood.) Wherever Greymane travelled in the Lands of Fist with the sword he seemed to be immune to the Lady's attempts to use the power of the earth against him.Stonewielder, Chapter 6, US HC p.315-316 The sword had the power to directly channel D'riss and Greymane ultimately used it to cause great destructive upheavals on Korelri and to bring down the Stormwall.Stonewielder, Chapter 12, US HC p.578 In Dancer's Lament During The Protectress' reign over Li Heng, in the period before the formation of the Malazan Empire, the city's High Priest of Burn was Lakke Sumarkethol.Dancer's Lament, Chapter 1, US HC p.27 It was widely known in Quon Tali that the primary religious festival of Li Heng was the procession honouring the city's ancient patron: Burn, the Sleeping Goddess. Devout pilgrims would come from all over to be part of this yearly observance. The procession, itself, was comprised of large platforms - most of which carried effigies of the slumbering Burn. Included in the procession were also icons and shrines dedicated to a number of other entities. These 'lesser' deities shared with Burn aspects related to "fate, futurity and the struggle of life and death", and usually included: the Enchantress / Queen of Dreams; D'rek, the Worm of Autumn; Poliel, the Lady of Pestilence and Corruption; and Mowri, Lady of Slaves and Beggars. Crowds of men, women and even children - many carrying candles or lamps - proceeded along with the various "massive pallets" and took turns in helping to carry the heavy platforms along the procession's route. Each year the procession, presumably led by the High Priest of Burn, started with everyone walking the complete circuit of Li Heng's Outer Round; then walking the complete circuit of the city's Inner Round; all finally ending up in the City Centre at the city's Grand Temple which was devoted to Burn.Dancer's Lament, Chapter 11, US HC p.206-209 In Deadhouse Landing In the time when the Cult of D'rek was dominant on Kartool Island, there were several "minor titular" deities subservient to the Worm of Autumn - one of whom was Burn. These other allowed 'lesser' gods and goddesses - like Burn - were venerated on their own particular feast days.Deadhouse Landing, Chapter 2, US TPB p.29 In Kellanved's Reach West of the city of Li Heng were located the Indryn Falls and the Escarpment - where ancient legend had it that "Burn herself sleeps". This legend, with regard to Burn, was very widely believed - which thus imbued the area with an aura of "religious and mystical importance".Kellanved's Reach, Chapter 3, US TPB p.43-44 In Forge of Darkness Burn, the Dreamer, was the greatest witch of the Dog-Runners, who stayed behind when her people left Kurald Galain. In a hidden temple buried near Tulla Hold, Burn slept as her body became one with the thick roots of the forest. Rancept, the Tulla castellan, said Burn dreamed "so that we may live... she dreams, to give us our freedom."Forge of Darkness, Chapter 10, UK HC p.297/304 Rancept unknowingly wounded Burn when he used his axe to cut through the roots blocking the entrance to the temple. A chance burst of laughter from Sukul Ankhadu healed Burn, who responded by blessing her with the Breath of the Sleeping Goddess.Forge of Darkness, Chapter 10, UK HC p.299 Olar Ethil claimed to have nurtured Burn at her own breast contradicting her later claims that she was herself the sleeping goddess.Forge of Darkness, Chapter 11, UK HC p.329 Quotes Notes and references pl:Pożoga de:Brand Category:Ascendants Category:Elder Gods Category:Deck of Dragons Category:Azathanai